Sweetened egg roll (datemaki)

This festive Japanese egg roll is made especially for New Year and is cooked differently to the tamagoyaki egg roll served on sushi. The markings left on the outside of the datemaki from the bamboo mat are characteristic of this egg roll.

• serves

  8

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 60 g packet hanpen (see note)
• 2 tsp instant dashi
• 2 tsp salt-reduced soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Chilling time 3 hours

Instructions

Process hanpen in a small food processor until smooth. Add instant dashi, 60 ml (¼ cup) water, soy sauce and mirin, and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, add eggs and whisk gently until just combined.

Heat a 13 cm x 18 cm Japanese omelette pan (see note) or small frying pan over medium heat. Brush with 2 tsp oil, then add half the egg mixture. Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for a further 3 minutes or until centre is just cooked and base is golden. Carefully slide omelette onto a sushi mat, brown-side down, and gently, but tightly, roll up. Secure with an elastic band and refrigerate for 3 hours or until cold. Repeat with remaining oil and egg mixture.

Carefully remove egg rolls from bamboo mats and slice thickly to serve.

Notes
• Hanpen, available from Japanese food shops, is made from fish and yam paste that is boiled until set.

• Japanese omelette pans (tamagoyaki nabe) are available from Japanese food shops.

Photography by John Laurie.

As seen in Feast magazine, December 2011, Issue 4. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.